Stock watering trough



Dec. 13, 1949 L. E. MEISNERl STOCK WATERING THOUGH Filed May 9, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E0 E. HE/SNER Dec. 13, 1949 EMElsNE-R 2,490,824

STOCK WATERING TROUGH Filed May 9, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 13, i1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE s'rocK wA'rEmNdY THOUGH Leo E. Meisner, Raymond, In. Y

Application May s, 1944, serial No. 534,742

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to watering devices for live stock.

An object of this invention is to provide a watering device in the form of a trough which is mounted in an insulated housing so that the water in cold weather will not freeze, and in warm weather will not become unduly heated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Watering device of this kind in the form of an automatically operable fountain which is adapted to automatically maintain a predetermined level of water in the trough.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind means whereby the cold air from the outside will not affect to any great extent the warmer air within the trough housing.

A further object of this invention is to lprovide in a device of this kind means whereby the operating means for maintaining the trough at a predetermined level is guarded so that the animals will not be able to contact with the operating means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a Watering trough embodied in an insulated housing, the latter being formed with gravity closing doors so as to normally maintain the housing in a closed condition.

A further object of this invention is to provide a trough of this kind which may be placed'at'any convenient point and secured to a suitable support if desired, the device also including'means whereby the interior of the housing may be 'heated so that the water will not freeze during cold weather.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the -several views,

Figure 1 is a detailed side elevation, partly broken away and in section, of a watering device constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view, partly in detail, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device with the hood or top removed.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section showing one of the doors or closures.

Figure 6is a fragmentary side elevation of the housing with one of the doors or closures closed.

Figure 7 isA a fragmentary vertical section of the float operated valve for the reservoir or supply tank, and

Figure 8 isa fragmentary vertical section of the float operated valve forl regulating the discharge of water from the reservoir to the trough.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral Il) designatesV generally a housing which is formed of opposite side walls II and I2, and opposite end walls I3 and I4. The housing is rectangular in `plan and preferably the side and end walls are formed of insulating material of suitable construction which may be inset in a reinforcing angle frame structure I5 secured to the vertical corners and the upper and lower edges of the housing.

The housing has mounted in the lower portion thereof a water trough I6 which extends between the opposite end walls I3 and I4, being provided with end flanges I'I secured to or reste.

ing on the lower marginal edge I8 of a pair of door openings I9 which are formed in the end walls I3 and I4.

The opposite longitudinal edges 2i! of the trough II are spaced inwardlyfrom the opposite side walls II and I2 so as to thereby provide an air space ZI'. The two door openings i9 are adapted to be closed by doors 22 of like construction which are pivotally mounted at the upper ends as at 23y in the upper portions of the openings I9. Each door or closure 22 is gravitatingly held in closed position by means of a weight 2d secured to inwardly projecting supporting arms 25 carried by the inner side of the door 22 adjacent the lower or free edge thereof.

The arms 25 project inwardly and upwardly as shown in Figures 1 and 5, and the weights 2li are of sufficient size to normally hold the doors 22 inl closed position, but at the same time, an animal can push against the lower edge of a door and swing the same to an open position whereby the animal may drink from the trough It. Each door 22 may be covered on the inner and outer sides thereof by a metal sheet or covering 26 which encompasses the insulation, and is bent about the upper edge of the door as shown more clearly in Figure 5.

The covering 26 provides a protecting means to protect the door against damage when the latter is pushed inwardly by the nose or head o-f the animal.

A water reservoir 2l is disposed within the housing IIJ in the upper end thereof, being of a size substantially equal to the length and width ofthe housing I0, and is formed at the upper end thereof with marginal anges 28 engaging over the upper edges of the housing I and secured thereto by fastening members 29. A discharge pipe 35 is secured to the bottom wall 3| of the reservoir 21, being secured to the bottom wall 3l by forming an annular ilange 32 at the upper end of the pipe Sii and positioning a washer or annulus 33 below the bottom wall 3|, the flange 32 and the annulus 33 being secured together by fastening members 34.

An apertured cap or dome 35 is carried bythe upper end o the pipe 30, and projects into the lower portion of the reservoir 21. The lower end of the discharge pipe 35 terminates.,at,a,point above the trough i6 and is formedwith avalve seat 35. An upwardly closing valvei31-carried by a vertically movable stem `3,8,is adaptedto engage on the seat 36 so as toc1`1t' o'thelow r`of water from the reservoir 21 when the trqughlj has been lled to a predetermined degree. A oat 139 is secured to the. lower. endpf the stem.38.and engages in the waterfll positionedin. the .trough so that when the level of the water'dll v'drops'.below a predetermined point, .the valve 31-will',move downwardly to an open position, andthe water. in the reservoir 21 will gravitatingly.flowdownwardly through` pipe 30. into the troughv I6.

When the water 4t in the. trough rises'ftoapre.- determined height, float .39 willniove valve 31.to closed position and lthereby-.cut offnfurtherdischarge of water from the reservoir 21 tothe' ltrough.

The water 4l in the trough21 is maint-,ainedat a predetermined level where the.watersupply'is obtainable from an outside .source ias. from an rr315 elevated tank or other supply under pressure, lby means of a float operated valve structure,..generally designated vas 42. .A delivery pipe l'7453.is secured to the bottom wal1.3l. of.the reservoirff21 ,and extends downwardly at one. side of .the trough L6 in the air space 2l. .Thepipe .14.3 V.is adapted to be extended eitherthrough the,bo,ttom. ofthe housing lil or may bev extended thrdughea Aside wall thereof for connection to theisfupply source.

The upper end of Ythe [delivery .pipe 4.3 .has secured thereto a valve seat '44 @which y is provided with a base Ylange secure'dbyiastening members it tothe upperor. inner side of theWall .3 l A tappet valve member`41 whieh opensfd'ov'v'nwardly is adapted to engagelagainstthe v,seatj44 and has secured thereto a s'tem'48. .The stem48 extends upwardly and is pivotally vsecured toa ioat operated lever N49. .The-leverlis Secured between a pair oi upwardly projectingy supporting arms 5i) being mountedonlapivot 5| extending between the arms 58. 'The lever 4S has secured to the opposite end .thereof a 'iloat52 which, when the water 4l substantially llsfthereservoir 21, is adapted to pull the valve 41 upwardly to. c ut off the reservoir from the delivery pipe 4 3.

A substantially U-shapedshieldf' is-.secured between the opposite longitudinal sides of .the reservoir 21, being removable and lencompassing the oat valve structure 42 so that thisstructure will not be damaged when-the.housingl is opened at the top.

A hood or cap 54 is mounted-,on theupper..A end of the housing IIB andInorniallyqlosesthe .upper end of the housing, and extends .upwardly from the reservoir 21. Thehood'5 ,4 is .tor-medefinsulating material and is provided at the opposite ends thereof with gravity closed. doors 55, normally maintained in a closedposition by weights 56 carried by inwardly projectingarms v51. The arms 51 are secured to the lower .portions of the doors and will normally maintain these doors in closed position.

The opposite sides 58 of the hood 54 are vertical and the ends 5g extend upwardly and inwardly as shown in Figure l.

rIhe side walls il and l2 are provided with openings Sii and 6l respectively, which are closed by inwardly opening closures 62 and 53 respectively. The closures 62 and 63 are of like construction and are beveled l at their upper and lower edges as shown in Figure 2, and are held in tightly closed position by securing pins 64 and .65 extending through complementary angle mem- .bers B6 and 5'! carried by the side walls and the closures 62 and E3.

The closures b2 and 53 are provided as inspectionkdoors to permit access to the interior of the housing for necessary repairs and other work. Byremoving pins 54 and E5 the doors 62 and 63 may be dropped within the housing permitting .accessfrom outside. rEhe doors 62 and 53;may thenbe secured back in place by pulling them into position from outside and reinserting. the `pinstl ,and -65.

In order to provide a means wherebyithe animals will not' be able to Contact with the oat/SS, and to prevent particles in the outer portionso'f the trough from floating inwardly toward .the center, I have provided a pair oi shields 68, which as shown in Eigure 3 are il-shaped in horizontal section and which have one vertical side SQthereof disposed in inwardly spaced relation to an end wall, thereby providing a watering chamber 1D. The opposite sides 41l of each shield '58 extend forwardly and the top side i i a is horizontal andis secured to the adjacent end wall. 'Each shield 68 is"formed with truncated `'-shaped lower.` edge portions projecting into the downwardly andinwardly inclined side walls l2 of vthe vtrough I B, and the vertical leg 5S terminates snugly against theupper side of the bottom wall of the trough [6. The vertical side $9 is also provided withoneor more openings 'i3 below the normal water`leve1 sothat water may freely flow 'from the intermediate portion of the trough to theouter watering chamber lil. rEhese shields 63 also provide4 a means whereby, when the watering doors are opened, the cold air from the outside will-be preventedfrom contacting with the centralportion of theinterior ofthe housing.

Inkcold weather, the interior of the housing' I0 may be maintained at a temperature above freezing byv means of a heater 14 mounted on a support 15 positioned above the troughl aridlbetween the two shields. 58. The heater '14 may be in the 'form of a lamp or other convenient heating arrangement.

In the use and operation of this wateringl device, the delivery pipe 43 is connected tofa suitable source o water supply, and when thefreservoir 21 has been `iilled, valve 41 willbe Vmoved upwardly to a closed position bythe oata52. The animal ldesiring water willmove one of'fthe watering doors 22 inwardly against thepressure of the weight '24, and may drink water iigomfthe watering chamber 1i?. When the -waterfin'fthe trough I6 has been lowered to a predetermined point,.iloat ,39 will move valve 31 to an openjposition, thereby permitting thegravity discharge of waten from the reservoir 21 throughdischarge pipe 3G into the central portionof thetroughlj.

@hesmaller-animals Asuch as dogs, will .push in either closure 22, whereas cattle or'horseswill push .in closure 55. The doors or closures.,22l:and

19 55 can. be readily detached'toprovidefree access to the water, and hood 54 can also be removed to provide free access to the upper trough or reservoir 21.

The side and end walls of tank 21 and end walls of trough I6 extend inwardly at bottom away from insulating wall to allow free circulation of air between tank and outside wall. The founof air about delivery pipe to prevent it from freezing.

The material of which the insulating wall is formed has water resistant coating to prevent deterioration from moisture and to maintain insulating value. An opening is provided in floor of tank 21 to allow connecting with pipe or hose to outside tank or trough at same level as tank to provide additional watering space for a larger number of animals that come to drink at one time in hot weather. This auxiliary connection may be disconnected in freezing weather.

What is claimed is:

A watering trough comprising a housing having insulated walls, a lower elongated trough in said housing, the opposite ends of said trough engaging the adjacent housing end walls for supporting said trough thereon, the side edges of said trough being spaced inwardly from the side walls of said housing to allow free circulation of air about said trough, an upper trough in said housing spaced upwardly relative to said lower trough and constituting a reservoir therefor, openings formed in said end walls above said lower trough, closures swingably carried by said end walls for closing each of said openings, means on each of said closures for gravitatingly urging said closures to closed position, a shield member disposed inwardly of each of said openings, each of said shield members including an inner wall having a plurality of openings adjacent the bottom edge thereof, a top wall engaging the adjacent end wall at the top of the related opening, and a pair of side members engaging said adjacent end wall at the opposite side edges of said related opening, the bottom edges of said inner Wall and side members engaging said lower trough, and heating means disposed in said housing between said upper and lower troughs and said inner walls whereby when said closures are open said inner walls will prevent the escape of the warm air circulating in said housing.

LEO E. MEISNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 232,077 Shaw et al. Sept. 7, 1880 707,530 Wright Aug. 19, 1902 822,440 Falk June 5, 1906 838,246 Falk Dec. 11, 1906 925,984 Bernard June 22, 1909 976,874 Hasman Nov. 29, 1910 1,130,662 Bernard Mar. 2, 1915 1,343,093 Shoultz June 8, 1920 1,346,307 Eaton July 13, 1920 1,375,039 Eaton Apr. 19, 1921 1,507,159 Gosford Sept. 2, 1924 1,541,471 Black June 9, 1925 1,548,720 Lewis Aug. 4, 1925 1,560,088 Marquardt Nov. 3, 1925 1,575,796 Scheihing Mar. 9, 1926 1,640,292 Petrick Aug. 23, 1927 1,644,660 Arkfeld Oct. 1l, 1927 1,650,489 Brechtbill Nov. 22, 1927 1,782,075 Ruskamp Nov. 18, 1930 1,786,049 Zoeller Dec. 23, 1930 

